1955 Chicago White Sox season

1955 Chicago White Sox
Major League affiliations
American League (since 1901)
Location
Comiskey Park (since 1910)
Chicago (since 1900)
Other information
Owner(s)	Grace Comiskey
General manager(s)	Frank Lane
Manager(s)	Marty Marion
Local television	WGN-TV (Jack Brickhouse, Harry Creighton, Vince Lloyd)
Local radio	WCFL (Bob Elson, Don Wells)
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The 1955 Chicago White Sox season was the team's 55th season in the major leagues, and its 56th season overall. They finished with a record 91–63, good enough for third place in the American League, 5 games behind the first place New York Yankees.

Offseason

• December 6, 1954: Leo Cristante, Ferris Fain, and Jack Phillips were traded by the White Sox to the Detroit Tigers for Walt Dropo, Ted Gray and Bob Nieman.^[1]
• December 6, 1954: Don Ferrarese, Don Johnson, Matt Batts, and Fred Marsh were traded by the White Sox to the Baltimore Orioles for Bob Chakales, Jim Brideweser and Clint Courtney.^[2]
• February 10, 1955: Lloyd Merriman was purchased by the White Sox from the Cincinnati Redlegs.^[3]
• Prior to 1955 season (exact date unknown)
  • Vito Valentinetti was acquired from the White Sox by the Charleston Senators.^[4]
  • Jim McAnany was signed as an amateur free agent by the White Sox.^[5]

Regular season

Season standings

American League	W	L	Pct.	GB
New York Yankees	96	58	.623	--
Cleveland Indians	93	61	.604	3
Chicago White Sox	91	63	.591	5
Boston Red Sox	84	70	.545	12
Detroit Tigers	79	75	.513	17
Kansas City Athletics	63	91	.409	33
Baltimore Orioles	57	97	.370	39
Washington Senators	53	101	.344	43

Record vs. opponents

1955 American League Records Sources:
Team	BAL	BOS	CWS	CLE	DET	KC	NYY	WSH
Baltimore	—	8–14	10–12–1	3–19	9–13	10–12–1	3–19	14–8
Boston	14–8	—	9–13	11–11	13–9	14–8	8–14	15–7
Chicago	12–10–1	13–9	—	10–12	14–8	14–8	11–11	17–5
Cleveland	19–3	11–11	12–10	—	12–10	17–5	13–9	9–13
Detroit	13–9	9–13	8–14	10–12	—	12–10	10–12	17–5
Kansas City	12–10–1	8–14	8–14	5–17	10–12	—	7–15	13–9
New York	19–3	14–8	11–11	9–13	12–10	15–7	—	16–6
Washington	8–14	7–15	5–17	13–9	5–17	9–13	6–16	—

Opening Day lineup

• Chico Carrasquel, ss
• Nellie Fox, 2b
• Minnie Miñoso, lf
• George Kell, 3b
• Jim Rivera, cf
• Walt Dropo, 1b
• Willard Marshall, rf
• Sherm Lollar, c
• Virgil Trucks, p

Notable transactions

• April 16, 1955: Lloyd Merriman was purchased by the Chicago Cubs from the Chicago White Sox.^[3]
• June 7, 1955: Bob Chakales, Clint Courtney and Johnny Groth were traded by the White Sox to the Washington Senators for Jim Busby.^[2]

Roster

1955 Chicago White Sox
Roster
Pitchers 32 Harry Byrd 28 Bob Chakales 20 Sandy Consuegra 22,31 Dick Donovan 12 Harry Dorish 16 Mike Fornieles 25 Ted Gray 29 Jack Harshman 28 Dixie Howell 44 Connie Johnson 15 Bob Keegan 36 Morrie Martin 24 Al Papai 19 Billy Pierce 23 Virgil Trucks		Catchers 35,26 Earl Battey 11 Clint Courtney 10 Sherm Lollar 12 Les Moss Infielders 25 Bobby Adams  3 Jim Brideweser 17 Chico Carrasquel 44 Phil Cavarretta  8 Walt Dropo 16 Sammy Esposito  2 Nellie Fox 42 Ron Jackson 21,31 Stan Jok  1 George Kell 30 Bob Kennedy 11 Buddy Peterson 35 Vern Stephens		Outfielders  5 Jim Busby 35 Gil Coan  5 Johnny Groth 27 Willard Marshall 6,35 Ed McGhee  9 Minnie Miñoso 18 Bob Nieman  6 Ron Northey  7 Jim Rivera 27 Ed White Other batters 30 Lloyd Merriman 21 Bob Powell		Manager  4 Marty Marion Coaches 37 Ray Berres 39 Don Gutteridge 34 George Myatt 33 Del Wilber

Player stats

Batting

Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; BB = Base on balls; SO = Strikeouts; AVG = Batting average; SB = Stolen bases

Player	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	SB
Bobby Adams, 3B	28	21	8	2	0	1	0	3	4	4	.095	0
Earl Battey, C	5	7	1	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.286	0
Jim Brideweser, SS	34	58	6	12	3	2	0	4	3	7	.207	0
Jim Busby, CF	99	337	38	82	13	4	1	27	25	37	.243	7
Chico Carrasquel, SS	145	523	83	134	11	2	11	52	61	59	.256	1
Phil Cavarretta, 1B	6	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	0
Gil Coan, RF	17	17	0	3	0	0	0	1	0	5	.176	0
Clint Courtney, C	19	37	7	14	3	0	1	10	7	0	.378	0
Walt Dropo, 1B	141	453	55	127	15	2	19	79	42	71	.280	0
Sammy Esposito, 3B	3	4	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000	0
Nellie Fox, 2B	154	636	100	198	28	7	6	59	38	15	.311	7
Johnny Groth, CF	32	77	13	26	7	0	2	11	6	13	.338	1
Ron Jackson, 1B	40	74	10	15	1	1	2	7	8	22	.203	1
Stan Jok, 3B	6	4	3	1	0	0	1	2	1	1	.250	0
George Kell, 3B,1B	128	429	44	134	24	1	8	81	51	36	.312	2
Bob Kennedy, 3B,RF	83	214	28	65	10	2	9	43	16	16	.304	0
Sherm Lollar, C	138	426	67	111	13	1	16	61	68	34	.261	2
Willard Marshall, RF,LF	22	41	6	7	0	0	0	6	13	1	.171	0
Ed McGhee, CF,LF	26	13	6	1	0	0	0	0	6	1	.077	2
Lloyd Merriman, PH	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	0
Minnie Miñoso, LF,RF	139	517	79	149	26	7	10	70	76	43	.288	19
Les Moss, C	32	59	5	15	2	0	2	7	6	10	.254	0
Bob Nieman, RF,LF	99	272	36	77	11	2	11	53	36	37	.283	1
Ron Northey, RF	14	14	1	5	2	0	1	4	3	3	.357	0
Buddy Peterson, SS	6	21	7	6	1	0	0	2	3	2	.286	0
Bob Powell, PR	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	0
Jim Rivera, RF,CF	147	454	71	120	24	4	10	52	62	59	.264	25
Vern Stephens, 3B	22	56	10	14	3	0	3	7	7	11	.250	0
Ed White, RF	3	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.500	0

Player	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	SB
Harry Byrd, P	25	30	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	7	.067	0
Bob Chakales, P	7	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	0
Sandy Consuegra, P	44	29	1	3	0	0	0	1	1	8	.103	0
Dick Donovan, P	40	76	10	17	0	0	1	5	9	26	.224	0
Fritz Dorish, P	13	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.333	0
Mike Fornieles, P	28	29	6	3	1	0	0	1	0	5	.103	0
Jack Harshman, P	32	60	6	11	1	0	2	8	9	17	.183	0
Dixie Howell, P	35	21	0	8	0	0	0	1	0	8	.381	0
Connie Johnson, P	19	33	4	5	2	0	0	5	0	7	.152	0
Bob Keegan, P	18	18	0	6	0	0	0	2	1	3	.333	0
Morrie Martin, P	37	10	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	.300	0
Al Papai, P	7	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	0
Billy Pierce, P	34	70	5	12	2	0	0	7	3	10	.171	1
Virgil Trucks, P	32	64	2	8	1	0	0	6	0	12	.125	0
Team totals	155	5220	725	1401	204	36	116	677	568	595	.268	69

Pitching

Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; HR = Home runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts

Player	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K
Harry Byrd	4	6	4.65	25	12	1	91.0	85	49	47	10	34	44
Bob Chakales	0	0	1.46	7	0	0	12.1	11	2	2	2	7	6
Sandy Consuegra	6	5	2.64	44	7	7	126.1	120	42	37	4	25	35
Dick Donovan	15	9	3.32	29	24	0	187.0	186	77	69	17	53	88
Fritz Dorish	2	0	1.59	13	0	1	17.0	16	4	3	0	10	6
Mike Fornieles	6	3	3.86	26	9	2	86.1	84	37	37	12	32	23
Ted Gray	0	0	18.00	2	1	0	3.0	9	6	6	0	2	1
Jack Harshman	11	7	3.36	32	23	0	179.1	144	74	67	16	100	116
Dixie Howell	8	3	2.93	35	0	9	73.2	70	27	24	1	30	25
Connie Johnson	7	4	3.45	17	16	0	99.0	95	40	38	5	52	72
Bob Keegan	2	5	5.83	18	11	0	58.2	83	39	38	4	29	29
Morrie Martin	2	3	3.63	37	0	2	52.0	50	27	21	4	22	22
Al Papai	0	0	3.86	7	0	0	11.2	10	5	5	1	10	5
Billy Pierce	15	10	1.97	33	26	1	205.2	162	50	45	16	69	157
Virgil Trucks	13	8	3.96	32	26	0	175.0	176	78	77	19	66	91
Team totals	91	63	3.37	155	155	23	1378.0	1301	557	516	111	541	720

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AA	Memphis Chicks	Southern Association	Jack Cassini and Ted Lyons
A	Colorado Springs Sky Sox	Western League	Jack Conway
B	Waterloo White Hawks	Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League	Dutch Dorman and Willard Marshall
C	Superior Blues	Northern League	Walt Novick
D	Madisonville Miners	KITTY League	Bill Close
D	Dubuque Packers	Mississippi–Ohio Valley League	Ira Hutchinson

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Dubuque

Madisonville club folded, July 7, 1955

Notes

1. Walt Dropo page at Baseball Reference
2. Bob Chakales page at Baseball Reference
3. Lloyd Merriman page at Baseball Reference
4. Vito Valentinetti page at Baseball Reference
5. Jim McAnany page at Baseball Reference

References

• 1955 Chicago White Sox at Baseball Reference
• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.